Identification of volatile allelochemicals fromAmaranthus palmeri S. Wats

Allelopathic volatiles associated with the weed Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.; AMAPA) were trapped on Tenax GC, thermally desorbed, and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Methyl ketones and alcohols (C₄–C₁₁) were the principal components of the volatiles mixture. Seedheads, stems, or roots were placed in a glass container and incubated at 31 °C (10 hr)/21 °C (14 hr) for three days prior to trapping the volatiles. Seedheads were rich in 2-heptanone which was consistently found, together with 2-heptanol, in all AMAPA tissues. Vapors of authentic 2-heptanone and (±)-2-heptanol at concentrations of 1 ppm or higher strongly inhibited the germination of onion and carrot and almost completely suppressed the germination of tomato and AMAPA seeds.Names of companies or commercial products are given solely for the purpose of providing specific information; their mention does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over others not mentioned.     

Influence de la réfrigération et de la congélation sur la qualité et l'aptitude à la germination des grainesInfluence of chilling and freezing on seed quality and germination ability

The high dehydration level of seeds provides them with an exceptional survival period, nevertheless seeds are living organs which can die. Refrigeration can prevent the germination of seeds which are destined for human or animal consumption or, on the contrary, produce germination in a required time. The article first describes some of the biological particularities of seeds which can be considered as survival or reproductive organs. As a survival organ, refrigeration can be used to preserve seeds to: Prevent germination: the storage of seeds of tropical and sub-tropical origin at +5°C: the maintenance of a cold and dry atmosphere for the bulk storage of seeds in silos. Prevent parasitic attack: a low temperature and low relative humidity to protect against bacterial or fungal growth: it is more difficult to combat insect invation. Protect product viability: the drier the seed and the lower the temperature, the longer the seed life. Refrigeration can also be used to facilitate germination by eliminating dormancy. It is already well known that humid cold promotes germination by eliminating embryonic dormancy (in general, from one to a few months at a temperature of about +5°C). Furthermore, good germination of ‘hard seeds’ (with teguments impermeable to water) can be obtained by immersing them in liquid nitrogen and repeating the operation if necessary.

Résumé

Les graines sont des organes très particuliers en ce sens qu'elles prérentent le plus souvent un état de déshydration très poussé. Les problèmes de stockage qui en résultent sont de ce fait très différents de ceux que l'on recontre généralement avec les autres produits végétaux. Les basses températures empêchent leur germination pendant la conservation, limitent les altérations dues aux parasites et prolongent leur durée de vie. La réfrigération et la congélation des graines ont permis la mise au point d'applications originales. Quelques graines ne peuvent germer qu'après un séjour au froid en milieu humide. Des graines imperméables à l'eau deviennent capables de germer facilement aprés traitement à très basse température (azote liquide).     

低熟煤中孢粉与可溶有机质的关系

根据孢粉分析和可溶有机质抽提后得到的数据,采用数理统计的方法分析了煤中的孢粉体与可溶有机质关系.结果表明：蕨类孢子含量与氯仿沥青“A”和非烃正相关,与饱和烃、芳烃则显著负相关,而裸子植物花粉则反之.这种情况说明尽管所有生物先质都有生烃作用,但对可溶烃贡献差别较大.而蕨类孢子和裸子植物花粉相比,可能对低熟-未熟油,特别是含非烃较高的低熟油有某种更为密切的联系.后者则可能与成熟-高成熟煤中才能释放出来的烃类物质更为密切.     

Effect of pre‐germination time of brown rice on serum cholesterol levels of hypercholesterolaemic rats

BACKGROUND: Brown rice is unpolished rice with immeasurable benefits for human health. Brown rice (BR) and pre‐germinated brown rice (PGBR) are known to contain various functional compounds such as γ‐oryzanol, dietary fibre and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA). In the present study, the experimental diets containing BR and PGBR (24, 48 h pre‐germination) were used to investigate the influence of pre‐germination time of brown rice on blood cholesterol in Sprague–Dawley male rats. RESULTS: Hypercholesterolaemia and elevation of LDL‐cholesterol were successfully ameliorated by the experimental diets containing BR and PGBR (24 and 48 h pre‐germination). As compared to the control sample, the pre‐germination time had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on blood cholesterol of Sprague–Dawley male rats. It was also found that the significantly (P < 0.05) better effect on lipid profile of hypercholesterolaemic rats was observed by prolonging the pre‐germination time. As compared to non‐germinated brown rice, the germinated brown rice showed the higher cardio‐protective effect on hypercholesterolaemic Sprague–Dawley male rats. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the changes of blood cholesterol can be mainly modulated by using the PGBR rather than BR. The prolonging of pre‐germination time led to an increase in the bioactive components, thereby providing a more efficient functional diet affecting the high blood cholesterol. This study suggests that PGBR can be used instead of BR and polished rice in the human diet. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

银杏花粉萌发生长与分枝式花粉管形成的观察

本研究采用半薄切片法和扫描电镜等技术对银杏（Ginkgo bilobaL.）花粉管的体内萌发与生长以及花粉的离体培养进行了观察,结果表明：（1）银杏花粉粒通过传粉滴收缩后到达胚珠珠孔处,并经珠孔道进入贮粉室内停留,约7 d后花粉粒开始萌发;（2）贮粉室内的花粉最初萌发出的花粉管与花粉粒的四细胞轴几乎垂直,表现出明显的侧向萌发特征。初始花粉管在贮粉室内的生长方向无规律,有的通过一定的贮粉室空间向较远的珠心组织细胞间隙生长,有的直接进到较近的珠心组织细胞间隙,花粉管的生长不损伤珠心组织细胞;（3）花粉离体培养过程中会迅速发生水合作用,花粉粒由船形变为圆球形。48 h后花粉外壁脱落,管细胞膨大,花粉管自管细胞膨大处萌发。随着花粉管的生长,管细胞核移动进入花粉管内,而生殖细胞仍留在花粉粒内。伸长的花粉管可分为淀粉粒区和透明区,花粉管末端易形成多种类型的分枝。花粉管内原生质呈喷泉状流动。     

多功能复合微生物菌剂对污泥堆制营养土的影响

为了研究外源微生物对营养土堆制过程的影响程度,选择多功能复合微生物菌剂(MCMP-Ⅱ)开展污泥堆制营养土的试验.试验结果表明:MCMP-Ⅱ的添加增加了总氮的损失,降低了碱解氮的转化效率,大幅度提高了有效磷含量及发芽指数增加率,但对总磷、钾含量的增加率提高较小.总氮、碱解氮与MCMP-Ⅱ、其他营养指标及发芽指数均呈负相关,其他各指标之间呈正相关;在0.05水平下菌剂与总氮呈显著负相关,发芽指数与总磷、有效磷呈显著正相关;而在0.01水平下,菌剂与碱解氮呈极显著负相关.MCMP-Ⅱ能够加快总氮中氮元素状态的转化,同时对磷元素转化的影响亦较大,其中存在反硝化及提高有效磷转化效率的菌种.MCMP-Ⅱ对污泥堆制营养土过程中营养物质及发芽指数的影响排序为碱解氮>总氮>发芽指数>总磷>有效磷>钾.     

小麦代谢组学技术及研究进展

代谢组学是继基因组学和蛋白质组学之后新发展的一门学科,真正反映在生物体内已经发生的生命活动,揭示生物体在特定时间、特定条件下的整体功能性状态,为生物体内在规律的研究提供信息,在植物学研究中得到广泛关注。本研究主要介绍了代谢组学常用的高通量检测技术(如核磁共振、气相色谱-质谱联用、超高压液相色谱-四极杆飞行时间质谱联用等)、数据分析方法、检索数据库等,对比了不同检测方法的优缺点。小麦作为世界上的主要的粮食作物之一,在代谢组学方面也有相关研究。本文重点概述了发芽小麦代谢组学的研究现状,通过分析代谢物及小麦理化性质,揭示了小麦萌发的主要能量来自糖酵解,同时增加有益活性成分,为了解在代谢水平上的谷物种子萌发的生化机制及代谢产物发生的系列变化提供了理论基础。     

Taxonomic importance of spore morphology in Thelypteridaceae from Northern Pakistan

Spore morphology of Thelypteridaceae species growing in Malakand Division, Northern Pakistan, was studied using both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The taxa are Christella dentata and Glaphyropteridopsis erubescens in the subfamily Thelypteridoideae, and Phegopteris connectilis, Pseudophegopteris pyrrhorhachis, and Pseudophegopteris levingei in the subfamily Phegopteridoideae. The studied species exhibit differences in spore size, exospore thickness, color, and ornamentation. Spores of the studied species are monolete and medium‐sized, and shape is ellipsoidal in both polar and equatorial views. The average measurement of the polar diameter ranges from 27 μm to 31 μm, whereas in the equatorial direction it varied from 20 μm to 40 μm. The exospore thickness ranges from 1.2 μm to 2.4 μm. Reticulate, laevigate with microgranules, cristate, and coarsely echinate surface ornamentation are observed among the species. Multivariate analysis including unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean and principal component analysis was used for the grouping and discrimination of species and genera.     

Enzyme activity during germination of different cereals: A review

The germination process increases enzymatic activity. However, this does not occur in the same way in all cereals. It depends on the type of enzyme, the cereal, and the conditions of germination. During germination, most enzymes are localized in the aleurone layer and the scutellum. Some of them, such as xylanases, proteases, and β-glucanases, are also localized in the endosperm while β-glucanases and lipases have been identified in the embryo. The maximum activity of the enzymes in most cereals start from day 4 of germination. Germination allows the hydrolysis of macromolecules and compounds like β-glucans and phytic acid. In cereals, starch is the component that presents the most morphological changes. Germination mobilizes and increases the activity of some enzymes. Temperature, steeping time, and variety are determining factors in the activation time. At higher temperatures, the enzymatic activation is generally faster; however, there are some exceptions. The use of germination could be a promising resource for modifying grain properties and increase enzymatic activity; also, this process is simple and economical.